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Tue, 24 Apr 2018 05:01:05 +0000Tue, 24 Apr 2018 05:01:05 +0000Fairmont commissioners mix it up over rundown houseFAIRMONT — A sometimes heated debate Tuesday over demolishing a home ended with the town’s commissioners voting to leave the house where it is.

The house at Pine and Holly streets was brought up at last month’s meeting by Commissioner Charles Kemp and he raised the issue again on Tuesday. This time he let it be known that he personally got a $4,500 bid to tear down the home. Kemp proposed that the property’s owner could be billed $100 a month until the money is repaid.

The board rejected Kemp’s demolition plan on a 4-2 vote. The commissioners said they did not want to make a large investment with such a long time frame for repayment.

Commissioner Terry Evans said he would never support Kemp’s request, adding that continued discussion of the house has been a waste of time.

“What is so important about this one house,” Evans said. “Why would I take this home over others that need to be demolished?”

Commissioner Monte McCallum said the property is located close to where Commissioner J.J. McCree lives.

McCree voted with Kemp in favor of tearing down the home.

McCallum, acting as mayor pro tem, led Tuesday’s meeting in Mayor Charles Townsend’s absence. McCallum said the focus should be on working to demolish several abandoned and dilapidated homes in the town at one time, not just one.

“We’re trying to get more bang for our buck,” he said.

Kemp countered that when commissioners want other dilapidated homes to be demolished in other parts of the town, there is no resistance.

“When I bring up a lament request for a home that is an eyesore now you would think World War III is breaking out,” he said. “I just see a trail of double standardization here.”

McCallum rejected Kemp’s claim, saying there are a lot more houses in town that are empty and have needed to be demolished for a lot longer than the one to which Kemp is referring.

Town Attorney Robert Price said the board needed to formulate a policy that staff can follow when it comes to demolishing homes so the process can be fair and impartial.

In other business, the town received a favorable audit for fiscal year 2017-2018. John Masters, of S. Preston Douglas and Associates, the town’s auditing firm, said the town has worked hard to keep costs down and increase the amount of money it has in the general fund.

“The general fund balance was at rock bottom over the last 18 years and now you are making hard decisions up here and making your manager live within the confines of those decisions,” Masters said. “You should be commended on holding the line on expenses.”

The board also entered into an intergovernmental agreement with Robeson County called the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program. The program allows Fairmont to call on support from the county in the event of a disaster. If a disaster occurs the county would work with the town to get federal funds to benefit the town and the county.

Also on Tuesday, the commissioners approved accepting a $450,000 Golden LEAF Disaster Recovery grant. The money will go to repair, elevate and widen the road that provides access to the town’s wastewater treatment plant. The road has been in need of repair since Hurricane Matthew struck in October 2016.

Mayor Townsend was not in attendance because of a town-related engagement. Commissioner Casandra Gaddy attended the meeting via speakerphone.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_Charles-Kemp.jpgParty time for storm victimsLUMBERTON — Families who were driven from their homes by Hurricane Florence received an early Christmas present on Tuesday.

With the help of a $10,000 grant, Community In Schools of Robeson County threw a holiday party for 57 children and 35 parents living in motels or who have recently moved from motels. The party at Bill Sapp Recreation Center on Tuesday was complete with a meal catered by Kendra’s Kitchen, a photo booth, arts and crafts, and a DJ who played Christmas songs.

The biggest gift was the open store from which parents could select Christmas presents for their children. While the children were occupied with the festivities, parents were taken to a room to pick out $100 worth of gifts for each child to open on Christmas Day. The gifts included headphones, balls, scooters, dolls, puzzles and more.

“They wake up on Christmas morning to gifts from Santa,” said Dencie Lambdin, the executive director of CIS. “It’ll be a nice Christmas.”

Hurricane Florence victim Patricia Fox said the party was the bright spot during a period of loss.

“I’m not able to go back to my home. It’s unlivable now,” Fox said.

Fox, a bookkeeper for the Public Schools of Robeson County and student at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and has lived in Lumberton for the past 27 years. Her home in South Lumberton was damaged by hurricanes Matthew and Florence.

“This is the second time for me,” Fox said. “It was a year to the day Florence came through, I had been back into my home. It’s devastating.”

After Florence, she moved to Fayetteville but could not take the commute to and from work, and moved back to Lumberton.

“It’s part of life and life goes on,” Fox said. “God has something better for me. We don’t see it but I feel he has something better for me.”

For Fox, the holiday party has been a way to have one less burden to deal with and to connect with people sharing a similar experience.

“This is nice,” Fox said. “I get to meet other people that were in the flood just like me, and are in the same predicament that I’m in.”

Jackeitha Dickerson will soon move into her new home, but for now, she shares a room with her four children, ages 10, 9, 8 and 6. Dickerson’s home off N.C. 72 was flooded and all of its contents destroyed.

“Being in a room with four children and starting all over with clothes and shoes has just been ridiculous,” Dickerson said.

Events like the Christmas party and support from various organization are what helped her make it through, Dickerson said.

“There are people out there that are still good, that still care enough to do things for the less fortunate,” Dickerson said while close to tears. “It’s been great.”

BreAnna Branch, the CIS of Robeson County’s program director and student support specialist at Carroll Middle School, wrote the grant application and coordinated the party. Branch said CIS targeted families that are displaced and living in motels because of the inconvenience of spending a holiday in the close quarters. The Public Schools of Robeson County assisted in locating 60 children that still were in motels.

“These are specifically children that are in the hotels and that are in the campers,” Branch said. “We tried to focus on the ones that are not going to have Christmas dinner and not going to have gifts.”

Branch said the party also gives children and parents the chance get out of the motels and spend time with other people.

“There’s different toy giveaways and things like that so we really wanted to add a different Christmas,” Branch said.

CIS was one of 20 recipients of the Foundation for the Carolina’s Hurricane Florence Response Fund, a $750,000 fund that assists nonprofits working with victims of Hurricane Florence.

The money for the fund was provided by donors that included Michael Jordan.

The next grant cycle for nonprofits to apply for the Hurricane Florence Response Fund will be in late January. For more information go the website at www.fftc.org.

Families living in motels because of Hurricane Florence enjoyed a hot meal and activities Tuesday at a holiday party thrown by Communities In Schools. After the meals, parents picked out gifts for the children.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_DSCN5797_ne20181218202330105-1.jpgFamilies living in motels because of Hurricane Florence enjoyed a hot meal and activities Tuesday at a holiday party thrown by Communities In Schools. After the meals, parents picked out gifts for the children.

Children were kept busy doing arts and crafts on Tuesday while their parents picked out Christmas presents for Christmas during a party organized by Community In Schools. The party was paid for with the help of a $10,000 grant from the Foundation of the Carolina’s Hurricane Florence Response Fund.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_DSCN5788_ne20181218202334765-1.jpgChildren were kept busy doing arts and crafts on Tuesday while their parents picked out Christmas presents for Christmas during a party organized by Community In Schools. The party was paid for with the help of a $10,000 grant from the Foundation of the Carolina’s Hurricane Florence Response Fund.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_DSCN5807_ne20181218202247302-1.jpgFund established to aid Quick’s famlyLUMBERTON — The Police Benevolent Foundation and the North Carolina Division of the Southern States PBA have established an online account to help the family of a fallen Lumberton police officer.

Quick died Saturday while working a traffic accident on Interstate 95. Officer Quick had served with the Lumberton Police Department for 18 months. He is survived by his wife, Leah, and their two children, Jayden and Madison.

North Carolina PBA Division President Randy Byrd said, “Our thoughts, prayers and support go out to Jason’s family during this difficult time. We are now calling on the community to step up and help his family in this time of need. Officer Quick is a true hero.”

All donations made to this memorial fund are tax-deductible, and 100 percent of the money will go to Quick’s family.

Staff report

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1184540Tue, 18 Dec 2018 08:45:34 +0000Staff reporthttps://www.robesonian.com/news/118454/fund-established-to-aid-quicks-famly#commentsDistrict 2 process rebootedRALEIGH — As a Jan. 20 deadline to select a new District 2 county commissioner looms, the unexpected death Monday of candidate Hubert Sealey contributes to the appearance that the race for the seat is wide open, with Pauline Campbell as the front-runner.

No other candidates have officially announced their intention to run for the seat, but Fairmont Commissioner Terry Evans said he is a likely nominee. Evans was a delegate during the first vote, and officially joined in protesting the outcome.

The Robeson County Democratic Party was ordered Saturday by the state party to hold a second meeting to select a replacement for the late Berlester Campbell to the Robeson County Board of Commissioners. Pauline Campbell, Berlester’s widow, beat Sealey on Nov. 15 by a vote count of 26.5 to 23.5.

The next selection meeting of precinct officials has not been set by Robeson Democratic Chairman Edward Henderson, but nominations will be taken from the floor.

According to Sybil Mann, chairman of the state party’s Council of Review, the vote was nullified because of proxy voting and other issues. The council took issue with precinct officials who do not live in District 2 being allowed to have other delegates vote for them by proxy.

Sealey lodged a four-part protest and two of his points were upheld by the state party and two were not.

The review council found that the precincts were organized properly at least two weeks before the selection meeting. The local party also provided proper notification of the precinct organizational meetings, the council found in a review that lasted more than five hours.

Sealey, a three-term representative of District 2 before being defeated by Berlester Campbell in 2014, objected to the fact that at least one precinct officer, who does not live in District 2, picked another person to vote by proxy.

“Only persons living in the district may vote,” Mann said. “Only precinct chairs and vice chairs may vote, unless they live outside the district, then the precinct will not have that vote.”

If a precinct’s chair and vice chair do not live in the district, then the precinct may not vote at all. Those are the rules set out by the state Democratic Party that have been applied to similar cases across North Carolina’s 100 counties, Mann said.

Berlester Campbell died suddenly on Sept. 28. He had won the May 8 primary and was unopposed in the general election. Whoever is selected by the county Democratic Party will serve the balance of his four-year term, which ends in 2022.

The District 2 seat is considered critical on the board, which has often been split during the past year, the most notable example being the effort by some commissioners to buy the Angel Exchange building at COMtech in Pembroke.

At the Saturday hearing, Henderson presented his case after submitting a written explanation of how the votes were allocated. Raleigh attorney Jake Epstein presented Sealey’s case.

The hearing went smoothly, Mann said.

“Each side got the opportunity to be heard,” Mann said. “Everyone was trying to do the right thing in this case.”

The rules for allocating votes are complex. Votes were allocated to each precinct based on how many votes were cast for Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. Town elected officials, who are Democrats, are allowed to vote as is Vanessa Abernathy, a member of the state Democratic executive committee.

Several of the precincts are split between commissioner districts. The precincts that voted in November included Fairmont, Maxton, Rowland, Orrum, Back Swamp and Gaddy’s.

“No one living outside the district may vote, and only the precinct chairs and vice chairs may vote,” Mann said. “It may keep some precincts from voting at all, which seems harsh but this is what the rules say, and there is no provision for anything else.”

The Council of Review found other procedural problems. The county party has no secretary, who should have assisted with the vote to help certify the election, along with the chair.

Also, one ballot was cast anonymously and other had a signature that was illegible. These issues will have to be cleared up at the second election, Mann said.

Fourteen of the 17 delegates to the Council of Review attended the hearing. Thirteen members of the council represent North Carolina’s congressional districts, and four are appointed by party Chairman Wayne Godwin.

“We were pleased with the process,” Mann said. “It was an honor to participate.”

Henderson accepted the judgment, but was not pleased with the rules. He noted that one of the smaller precincts may not get a vote at all.

“Some precinct chairs and vice chairs do not live in District 2, so we thought is was fair to give the precinct a vote by proxy,” Henderson said. “One precinct won’t have any representation.

“I will go by their rules,” Henderson said. “When we set a date, the public will be welcome to attend, but, like last time, I will not allow anyone living outside the district to speak.”

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_Ed-Henderson-1.jpg15 gifts add whopping $10,250 to fundThe Empty Stocking Fund not only has enjoyed its best day of the current campaign, it has done so by about three times.

Fifteen new donations, including a $5,000 gift from an organization that wishes to remain anonymous, add $10,250 to the fund, pushing its total to $44,757. We need only six more gifts of at least $50 each before we can add $7,500, a match from an anonymous benefactor, to the total.

We also need to make an apology to the Rev. Jami Lewter, pastor of Trinity Holiness Church, because we mislabeled the church’s $500 donation that was reported on Tuesday.

We always encourage folks to read through the list to see who contributes, but we will note a few, including a $1,000 gift from Mark’s Lutheran Church/Disaster Relief Fund and several $500 gifts, including from Speech Solutions and Century 21. John C. Lawrence, who had given $500 before, mailed in another check for $500.

At this point, it is a bit risky to mail a donation because it might not get here before the deadline on Friday at 5 p.m., so we encourage in-person donations at our office at 2175 Roberts Ave. You can also donate by phone by calling Tammy Oxendine at 910-816-1980 or Amanda Revels at 910-416-5872.

Each eligible child will receive a $50 voucher on a first-come, first-served basis until the fund is exhausted. Those vouchers can be redeemed at either the Roses store in Lumberton or the Roses Express in Fairmont.

For information regarding the Empty Stocking Fund, call Donnie Douglas, editor of The Robesonian, at 910-416-5649.

Previous total……………………………….$34,507

135. Michael Parnell…………………………………..$200

136. Anonymous, in memory of The Collins, The Edwards and The Taylor families…$200

148. Terry and Nancy Wilkerson, in honor of our children and grandchildren……………$100

149. Anonymous…………………………………………$5,000

New total ………………………………………………………$44,757

Allison Harrington, third from left, owner of Speech Solutions, made a $500 donation to the Empty Stocking Fund. She is joined by other members of her team. They are Kristi Britt, left, Elizabeth Armstrong, Carolyn Biddy, Bertha Garcia and Summer Martin.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_empty12-19-speech-solutions-_ne20181218104440507.jpgAllison Harrington, third from left, owner of Speech Solutions, made a $500 donation to the Empty Stocking Fund. She is joined by other members of her team. They are Kristi Britt, left, Elizabeth Armstrong, Carolyn Biddy, Bertha Garcia and Summer Martin.

Elliott Williamson, center, owner of Century 21 — The Real Estate Center, is joined by his wife, his daughter and his team at the real estate business in making a $500 donation to the Empty Stocking Fund.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_empty12-20century21_ne20181218174533820.jpgElliott Williamson, center, owner of Century 21 — The Real Estate Center, is joined by his wife, his daughter and his team at the real estate business in making a $500 donation to the Empty Stocking Fund.

Allison Harrington, third from left, owner of Speech Solutions, made a $500 donation to the Empty Stocking Fund. She is joined by other members of her team. They are Kristi Britt, left, Elizabeth Armstrong, Carolyn Biddy, Bertha Garcia and Summer Martin.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_empty12-19-speech-solutions-_ne20181218104440507.jpgRed Cross schedules 3 blood drivesRALEIGH — Three blood drives have been scheduled in Lumberton to help meet seasonal needs for blood and platelets.

The first drive is to take place 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday at OP Owens Auditorium, located at 455 Caton Road. The second is set for 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday at Saddletree Community Center, located at 1031 Mt. Olive Church Road. The third is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 15 at Southeastern Health, 300 N. 27th. St.

The American Red Cross urgently needs blood and platelet donors to make an appointment to give and help ensure patients can get the treatment they need at a moment’s notice.

A seasonal decline in donations occurs from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day when donors get busy with family gatherings and travel, according to the American Red Cross. And severe winter weather can cause blood drive cancellations and reduce the blood supply.

Donors can make an appointment to donate blood and platelets by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). People who give between now and Jan. 6 will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt while supplies last.

Staff report

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1184460Tue, 18 Dec 2018 05:54:59 +0000Staff reporthttps://www.robesonian.com/news/118446/red-cross-schedules-3-blood-drives-2#commentsGOP women meet ThursdayLUMBERTON — The Robeson County Republican Women will hold its December meeting on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the home of Olivia Oxendine at 2400 McMillan Ave.

The meeting will include a speaker and the election of new officers.

For information, call 919-315-8983.

Staff report

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1184450Tue, 18 Dec 2018 05:29:58 +0000Staff reporthttps://www.robesonian.com/news/118445/gop-women-meet-thursday-3#commentsGoFundMe to aid victims of dog attackLUMBERTON — A GoFundMe page has been established to raise money for the child victims of a fatal attack by four dogs on Dec. 10 in Marietta.

Killed in the attack by the Rottweilers was 73-year-old Esta Currier. Injured were two children, who were attacked as they exited a school bus, and the dogs’ owner, Brenda Walters. The children, Currier’s grandchildren, are in stable condition. Walters treated at Southeastern Regional Medical Center and released.

The dogs were killed by responding deputies.

The State Laboratory of Public Health in Raleigh tested the animals and determined they did not have rabies.

Jamie Blue reported Monday to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office a break-in on Chicken Road in Rowland.

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1184430Tue, 18 Dec 2018 04:04:00 +0000https://www.robesonian.com/news/118443/crime-report-625#comments‘A desire to protect people’LUMBERTON — People who worked with Jason Quick say he chose the job because he wanted to be a role model, especially to his family.

His colleagues on the Lumberton Police Department say they quickly recognized his desire to excel and his strong work ethic. Quick, 31, died Saturday after being struck by a vehicle while working an accident scene on Interstate 95.

He leaves behind a wife, Leah, and two children, Jaden and Madison, with whom he would often FaceTime with on his cell phone before they went to bed on the nights Quick worked late, according to William Cummings, a fellow police officer.

“I just remember how humble he was,” Cummings said. “He was very sincere about his actions, his thoughts, his words with people, how he wanted to live his life for his kids and his wife.”

Their designated patrol areas were close, so they were always in contact with each other.

“If I wasn’t tied up I went to his calls and vice versa, so we were always together,” Cummings said. “He never expected anyone to say thank you for anything he did because it was a part of his job. He was a simple man with high standards.”

Sgt. Steve Hardin, Quick’s immediate supervisor, said their relationship was not made distant by title or experience.

“I was his supervisor, but we were friends and I’m going to miss him greatly,” he said. “You spend as much time with those folks as you do your family and children. Working all night and during the holidays you become a family and losing someone like that is like losing a member of your family.”

He said Quick had really good instincts for the job and wanted to be the best at it.

“Some people think it’s (job) a desire for a paycheck,” Hardin said. “He had a desire to protect people. Unfortunately that’s kind of rare, especially for some of the younger officers.”

John Scott, a North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper, is related to Quick through marriage.

He remembers the years Quick worked as a volunteer firefighter with the Raynham McDonald Volunteer Fire Department before becoming a police officer. Scott said he did it all for his wife and children.

His fellow officers say that Quick was there to go the extra mile, back up officers, help them with their reports and even work on his day off, which was the case on the day Quick lost his life.

“The morning this happened he wasn’t supposed to work,” Scott said.

An officer didn’t make it in and Quick decided to come in on his day off, Scott said.

“He said he didn’t want to leave those guys shorthanded,” Scott said. “He was really dedicated to his job.”

Quick was killed Saturday morning while working an accident at Exit 22 on I-95. He was struck by a vehicle being driven north by a Fairmont woman. The Highway Patrol said she was not at fault.

Tori Carter, who worked with Quick for several of the 18 months Quick was an officer, saw Quick’s dedication to the job.

“He was just dependable,” she said. “You didn’t have to worry about anything. He always looked out for his partner.”

As it is with her fellow officers, dealing with the loss has been difficult for Carter.

“You don’t have any words,” she said. “You go from sitting with him in the squad room, and we were 30 minutes from going home, and then seeing him out there. It’s hard.”

Cummings was backing up Quick at a vehicle accident when Quick was killed. The weight of the situation took a minute to sink in.

“At first I thought it was another car accident that happened,” Cummings said. “When my brain finally processed it I ran back to the car and let dispatch know my officer was down.”

He said Lumberton firefighters, already on the scene of the initial accident, quickly turned their focus to Quick and kept Cummings back.

“They wouldn’t let me get near him,” he said.

Cummings considers Quick a friend and a brother and remembers when they were on duty they would sometimes talk about the future. He said Quick was going to school to get his degree and wanted to lead a police department one day.

“He wanted to be chief someday,” Cummings said. “We’d refer to each other as car one and two. He’d be car one and I’d be car two, chief and deputy chief.”

Cumming hopes to keep Quick’s dream alive.

“I still love my job; still love what I do,” he said. “It’s just one of the things you hope and wish never happens. He wouldn’t want me to give up because we talked a lot about our future law enforcement careers.

“So, I’ll have to do it for him.”

Quick’s visitation will be Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Rock Church of God, located at 2209 West Carthage Road in Lumberton. The funeral will be 2 p.m. Thursday at the same church. The graveside service will take place after the church service at Gardens of Faith Cemetery, located at 5190 Fayetteville Road in Lumberton.

Quick is the first Lumberton officer killed in the line of duty since Jeremiah Goodson was shot to death on July 12, 2012. Marques Brown was sentenced to 27 years in prison earlier this year for second-degree murder in that case.

Quick is the eighth officer killed in the line of duty in North Carolina this year, the sixth in a vehicular accident.

Lumberton police carry the body of Jason Quick from Southeastern Regional Medical Center on Saturday. Quick, 31, was killed when he was struck by a vehicle while working an accident on I-95 on Saturday. His funeral is Thursday.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_Quick-pix-1.jpgLumberton police carry the body of Jason Quick from Southeastern Regional Medical Center on Saturday. Quick, 31, was killed when he was struck by a vehicle while working an accident on I-95 on Saturday. His funeral is Thursday.

David Pollard

Staff writer

David Pollard can be reached via email at dpollard@cmpapers.com or by phone at 910-416-5165

Lumberton police carry the body of Jason Quick from Southeastern Regional Medical Center on Saturday. Quick, 31, was killed when he was struck by a vehicle while working an accident on I-95 on Saturday. His funeral is Thursday.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_Quick-pix-1.jpgDistrict 9, congressional race still in limboLUMBERTON — The result of a District Court election campaign remains in limbo as the state Board of Elections continues its investigation into charges of election fraud in a close congressional race.

“The state board did not certify the results of that District Court race, as the apparent margin of victory in that contest represented fewer votes than those under review by this agency as it investigates absentee voting irregularities in the 9th Congressional District,” Patrick Gannon, a state Elections Board spokesman, wrote in an email.

At issue are the District Court 16B Seat 2 race in Robeson County and the race for the N.C. District 9 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“There is not a separate investigation into the District Court contest,” Gannon wrote. “However, the results of the congressional district investigation could have some bearing on that contest.”

The congressional race investigation appears also to be a factor in contests for Bladen County Commissioner District 3 and the Bladen Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor. Neither of these races have been certified by the state board.

The state board has scheduled an evidentiary hearing for Jan. 11, eight days after Congress will convene for its next session.

The District Court 16B contest between Jack Moody, who works in the Public Defender’s Office, and Vanessa Burton, an assistant prosecutor in the District Attorney’s Office, provided plenty of drama before the District 9 election fraud soap opera began. Initial vote tallies after the Nov. 6 general election showed Moody was the winner, but only by 138 votes. His lead was 77 votes after absentee ballots were counted. Moody’s lead became a 71-vote deficit after provisional, or challenged, ballots were counted on Nov. 15.

But Burton’s margin of victory was below the 1 percent of all votes cast threshold that permits a recount request. Moody requested a recount. After all the votes were counted again Burton, had 15,382 votes to Moody’s 15,315.

In the congressional race, unofficial vote totals show Republican Mark Harris is ahead of Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes. McCready won Robeson County by 17,003 votes to Harris’ 12,543 and Libertarian candidate Jeff Scott’s 757. The GOP has held the district since 1963. Rep. Robert Pittenger, the incumbent, lost to Harris in the primary.

But, now the District 9 election fraud spectacle has caught Pittenger’s attention because politicians and political operatives from both parties are suggesting, and in some cases demanding, a new election is needed. Some are suggesting that if a new election is mandated by the state Elections Board, it should include a new primary.

A new primary would open the door for a new re-election for Pittenger, who lost in the May 8 Republican primary to Harris.

When asked about the possibility of Pittenger running again, spokesman Jamie Bowers said, “Congressman Pittenger says that he’ll make a statement following the evidentiary hearing.”

The hearing is to review evidence regarding claims that absentee ballots in Bladen County went missing and unsealed ballots were illegally handled by collection teams and could have been altered.

Leaders of the state Republican Party say the state Elections Board is too slow to show what evidence it has that supports charges of election fraud.

“The Board of Elections has failed to demonstrate in a timely manner the evidence regarding the allegations concerning the voting irregularities surrounding the Ninth Congressional District. The lack of transparency is concerning for the citizens of Bladen County, the Ninth Congressional District, and the State of North Carolina. The State Board of Elections should produce any evidence they have obtained that would provide proof the alleged voting irregularities would have changed the outcome of the race,” a NCGOP resolution demanding immediate disclosure by the state Elections Board reads in part.

The resolution also demands that the District 9 race be certified if the state Elections Board “is unable to provide evidence the alleged voting irregularities would have changed the outcome of the race.”

The Republican-controlled General Assembly this past week approved legislation mandating that if a new District 9 election is called that it include a new primary. Gov. Roy Cooper has yet to sign the legislation into law or veto it.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_Harris_1.jpgTribal program to aid students with housingPEMBROKE — Members of the Lumbee Tribe planning to attend college can now get some help paying for housing.

Bradley Locklear, tribal Housing director, said often members of the tribe who attend college cannot afford to live in a dormitory or rent an apartment close to campus, so they commute.

“They go to their class then go and sit in their car, then go to their next class and then go home,” he said. “That’s not college and they would have a much better experience if they were able to get more involved.”

So after two years of work and research, the Lumbee Tribe unveiled its Student Housing Voucher Program on Monday morning at Pembroke Boys and Girls Club. Representatives from area universities and high schools, and tribal leaders were present to hear about the program.

The tribe was able to allocate federal funds it receives to provide 50 college students with a $300-a-month voucher per semester to help pay for housing on or off campus. The program begins for the spring semester.

Lumbee Tribe Chairman Harvey Godwin Jr. said that along with an education, Lumbee students need to experience life on campus.

“The Lumbee student has to exert their voice on campus,” Godwin said. “Their voice needs to be heard and their story needs to be told.”

Applicants must be planning to attend or are currently attending The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Fayetteville State University, Methodist University or St. Andrews University to be eligible.

Applicants also must be enrolled tribal members, have a household income below 80 percent of the national median income and live in Robeson, Hoke, Scotland or Cumberland counties. Enrolled applicants must be full-time students pursuing a degree and have a 3.0 GPA and upon acceptance maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher.

Along with maintaining their grades, recipients also must commit to 20 hours of community service per semester within the Lumbee Tribe. Students who do not maintain one or all of the requirements could become ineligible for the voucher for the following semester and the voucher be given to another students.

Dr. Robin Cummings, UNCP chancellor, said the biggest problem students have to deal with after college is student debt.

“Students are graduating from four-year institutions $25,000 to $30,000 in debt on average,” Cummings said. “This will help change that. I’d love to see a student graduate without the student debt related to housing.”

Godwin believes the program is an investment in the future of the tribe.

“We need that brain power to come back and solve the big problems we have,” he said.

Denise Cooper, an Indian Education coordinator who works in the Scotland County schools system, was one of several coordinators in attendance Monday representing the counties in which tribal members live.

“I’m going to look up my former students (who are in college) and call them and let them come in and fill out an application,” she said. “Our county is a low-wealth community and all of our students need this very badly.”

Voucher program applications will be available Wednesday at Lumbee Tribe headquarters, 6984 N.C. 711 West in Pembroke. Contact Janice Locklear at 910-522-5161 or visit the tribal website at www.lumbeetribe.com for more information.

Lumbee Tribe Chairman Harvey Godwin Jr. discusses on Monday the tribe’s new initiative to reduce housing costs for college students who are members of the tribe as Dr. Robin Cummings, far left, chancellor of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and others look on.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_DSCN1039_ne20181217132032261.jpgLumbee Tribe Chairman Harvey Godwin Jr. discusses on Monday the tribe’s new initiative to reduce housing costs for college students who are members of the tribe as Dr. Robin Cummings, far left, chancellor of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and others look on.

David Pollard

Staff writer

David Pollard can be reached via email at dpollard@cmpapers.com or by phone at 910-416-5165.

Lumbee Tribe Chairman Harvey Godwin Jr. discusses on Monday the tribe’s new initiative to reduce housing costs for college students who are members of the tribe as Dr. Robin Cummings, far left, chancellor of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and others look on.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_DSCN1039_ne20181217132032261.jpgFairmont has sewage spillFAIRMONT — The town of Fairmont Public Utilities Department had a discharge of about 10,000 gallons of untreated wastewater on Friday.

The discharge took place at a manhole near Pittman Mill Branch. The wastewater was discharged into the Pittman Mill Branch in the Lumber River Basin.

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1184190Mon, 17 Dec 2018 07:02:32 +0000Staff reporthttps://www.robesonian.com/news/118419/fairmont-has-sewage-spill#commentsSealey, former commissioner, dies unexpectedlyFAIRMONT — Former county Commissioner Hubert Sealey, who died unexpectedly early Monday, is being remembered as a man of ideals who was dedicated to the people of the southern part of Robeson County.

Sealey, who served three terms as a county commissioner, died in the midst of an effort to reclaim his District 2 seat on the Robeson County Board of Commissioners. The 53-year-old husband and father of four suffered a heart attack early Monday morning at his home near Fairmont and died later at Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton.

A career law enforcement officer, Sealey was an investigator for the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles and a former member of the state Highway Patrol. He was serving as a patrol officer with the Red Springs Police Department, where he had worked for seven years, at the time of his death.

“This is a great loss for our community, and a great loss for Robeson County,” said Fairmont Commissioner Terry Evans, who was a lifelong friend and was at the hospital when the family received the news. “You never stood behind him, you always stood shoulder to shoulder with him.”

Evans and Sealey had been together this weekend in Raleigh protesting the process used by the Robeson County Democatic Party to replace Berlester Campbell as the District 2 representative on the Board of Commissioners.

Sealey, a Democrat, was elected three times to that seat, and lost his bid for a fourth term to Campbell, who died Sept. 28, finishing second in a three-person primary in May.

Sealey protested the procedures used Nov. 15 during a District 2 executive committee vote he lost to Pauline Campbell, Berlester’s widow, 26.5 to 23.5 . The protest was upheld by the state Democratic Party. A second committee vote is to take place in January on a date to be determined later. Sealey was at the five-hour hearing that took place in Raleigh.

Condolences are pouring in from Robeson County elected officials, law enforcement and government agencies, all of whom were shocked by Sealey’s death.

“Today is a very sad day for the Red Springs Police Department, the town of Red Springs and agencies across the state of North Carolina,” Police Chief Ronnie Patterson said. “We are mourning the loss of Officer Hubert Junior Sealey.

“Officer Sealey was not just a police officer, but a brother to us all, and we will miss him dearly.”

County Commissioner David Edge served one four-year term with Sealey and called him an independent thinker.

“I was shocked and saddened to hear the news of Hubert Sealey’s death,” said Edge, who spoke with Sealey by phone a few hours before he became ill. “I am terribly sorry for his family, for their loss.”

“Commissioner Sealey always stood up for his ideals.”

County Manager Ricky Harris also worked with Sealey and found him to be dedicated to his constituents.

“Mr. Sealey was very dedicated to the citizens of District 2,” Harris said. “He was also very determined to spend the county’s money conservatively.”

Married for 27 years to Linda Sealey, he is survived by four children.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_Sealey-Hubert-1.jpg20 gifts add $3,560; deadline nearThe Empty Stocking Fund has enjoyed its busiest day during the current campaign, with 20 more gifts to report today that add $3,560 to the total.

Nineteen of the gifts will each be matched with a $50 anonymous donation, adding $950 that will be reported later. We need just 21 more gifts of at least $50 to take full advantage of the pledge of up to $7,500.

The largest gifts today are each for $500, and there are three of them, including one from Bethesda United Methodist Women and Trinity Holiness Church.

The deadline to contribute is 5 p.m. on Monday, so if the plan is to mail the money, please do so today.

A safer bet would be to drop it off in person at our newly renovated office at 2175 Roberts Ave. If the gift is in honor or memory of someone, provide that information and it will be included. The Robesonian will publish photographs that accompany donations of $500 or more if that request is made.

Each eligible child will receive a $50 voucher, on a first-come, first-served basis until the fund is exhausted, for use at Roses in Lumberton or Roses Express in Fairmont.

For information regarding the Empty Stocking Fund, call Donnie Douglas, editor of The Robesonian, at 910-416-5649.

The Rev. Jami Lewter, pastor of Trinity Episcopal Church, has a $500 check for Carol Richardson, an account representative for The Robesonian. The check will provide Christmas for 10 children.

The Rev. Jami Lewter, pastor of Trinity Episcopal Church, has a $500 check for Carol Richardson, an account representative for The Robesonian. The check will provide Christmas for 10 children. Tomeka Sinclair | The Robesonian

Staff report

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1184160Mon, 17 Dec 2018 06:30:02 +0000Staff reporthttps://www.robesonian.com/news/118416/20-gifts-add-3560-deadline-near#commentsRed Springs police snag alleged heroin dealerRED SPRINGS — A man wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service was in the Robeson County jail Monday afternoon waiting to be extradited thanks to the work of Red Springs police officers.

Officers Tammy Lowery and Amanda Velez arrested 35-year-old Manuel Antonio Alvarado, of 300 E. Eighth Ave. in Red Springs, after they responded to a call about 7 p.m. Sunday about a man walking in the middle of N.C. 71, according to a statement by Maj. Kimothy Monroe. Further investigation revealed Alvarado was wanted by the U.S. marshal for heroin distribution.

Alvarado was taken to the magistrate’s office and jailed under a $50,000 secured bond.

In an unrelated case, Red Springs police are asking the public’s help solving a shooting case, according to Monroe.

About 6 p.m. on Dec. 10, Officer Aaron Lowery heard what he thought were gunshots in the area of Eighth Avenue. Officers began a search of the area and were led to a residence at 125 E. Eighth Ave. owned by John Archie McNeill Jr. Officers found a bullet-riddled, beige Chevrolet Impala in the backyard.

Witnesses told the officers that McNeill, 30, was shot as he sat in his vehicle and he had been taken to Southeastern Regional Medical Center by a friend. McNeill was questioned at the hospital by a Robeson County Sheriff’s Office deputy, but offered no information, other than the shooting incident took place in Red Springs.

The case is under investigation, according to Monroe. Detectives are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the Red Springs Police Department at 910-843-3454.

Red Springs police continue the hunt for a man who swam away from pursuing officers, according to Monroe.

Arthur Charles Smith III, 26, of 503 Hamlet Ave. in Hamlet, led law enforcement officers from multiple local and state agencies on a chase through parts of Robeson and Scotland counties on Nov. 30, according to Monroe. The chase ended on Alma Road near Maxton when Smith lost control of the black Chevy Malibu he was driving and crashed. Smith and his passenger, 23-year-old Michalla Jade McPherson, of 4436 S.C. 57 in Little Rock, S.C., got out of the vehicle and jumped into the creek beneath the Alma Road bridge.

Smith swam away, but McPherson was pulled from the water and arrested.

The incident began about 3 p.m. that day when Officer Velez responded to a call from the 211 Laundrymat, located at 805 E. Fourth Ave. in Red Springs, about a careless and reckless driver in a black Chevy Malibu.

Several warrants have been taken out against Smith, according to Monroe.

“We’ll get him,” Monroe said Monday.

Anyone with information about Smith’s location is asked to contact the Red Springs Police Department at 910-843-3454.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_manuel-Antonio-Alvarado-page-001.jpgSBA extends deadline to ThursdayLUMBERTON — The U.S. Small Business Administration has extended until Thursday its application deadline for businesses and individuals whose property was damaged by Hurricane Florence.

Individuals who have applied for loans by the deadline will be able to visit Disaster Loan Outreach Centers to provide any additional documents required for a loan application. All centers are scheduled to permanently close on Thursday. The Robeson County location is at Robeson Community College’s Workforce Development Building 18, located at 5160 Fayetteville Road in Lumberton.

It is recommended that applicants stay in contact with their case managers. If an applicant has not heard from SBA on the loan status, contact the case manager for a status update. The case manager will work with the applicant through the process of closing the date for the loan, scheduling the disbursement and any other adjustments to the loan after the closing is due to changing circumstances.

For Hurricane Florence loan applicants, first payment on loans is deferred 11 months.

People can apply online at DisasterLoan.sba.gov. For more information, call 1-800-659-2955 and for the deaf and hard of hearing, call 1-800-877-8339.

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1184100Mon, 17 Dec 2018 04:26:30 +0000https://www.robesonian.com/news/118410/crime-report-624#commentsSealey, former county commissioner, dies of heart attackFAIRMONT — Hubert Sealey, a former county commissioner who was trying to reclaim his District 2 seat on that board, has died.

Sealey died over a heart attack this morning, according to multiple sources.

Sealey served on the county Board of Commissioners fom 2002 to 2014 and came in second in the May primary to incumbent Berlester Campbell in an attempt to recapture that seat. Campbell died on Sept. 28, forcing the selection of a replacement by the Robeson County Democratic Party.

That happened on Nov. 15, when the District 2 leadership picked Pauline Campbell, the wife of Berlester, in a 26.5 to 23.5 vote. However, on Satuday the state Democratic Party heard a protest by Sealey about how the election was done and ordered a do-over.

Sealey attended the five-hour hearing on the matter.

The do-over process includes the possibility of new nominees for the District 2 seat.

https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_hubert-sealey_ne201812178549545-1.jpgTribe partners with 2 nonprofits to feed hungryPEMBROKE — During the season of giving, One Generation Away and Feed America First partnered with the Lumbee Tribe of NC to provide food to about 450 families throughout the community at the Pembroke Boys and Girls Club on Saturday.

Volunteers from One Generation Away, Feed America First, church organizations, tribal staff, and members of the community came together to provide each family with a full cart of groceries.

The food was donated to the community by One Generation Away and Feed America First. Both organizations receive large-scale food donations from retailers and manufacturers.

Additional items such as coats, toiletries, and hygiene products were also given out to families.

Chris Whitney, founder and director of One Generation Away, expressed the importance of their efforts of helping communities in need after disasters.

“We’re making a difference in people’s lives through a collaborative effort of compassion, food, and fellowship during this Special Season of Hope and Love,” said Harvey Godwin, chairman of the Lumbee Tribe.

One Generation Away is a nonprofit that works to bring fresh, healthy food to people in need. Feed America First is a faith-based, hunger relief organization located in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Feed America First’s mission is providing food to those who feed the hungry.